1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to intubation of the duodenum and small bowel.
More particularly, it relates to intubation of the long naso-intestinal tube into the duodenum and small bowel to a predetermined and desired location and to a novel long naso-intestinal tube for use therein.
More particularly, the present invention relates to use of an endoscopically guided long naso-intestinal tube which, by the inventive process disclosed herein, is guided to the proper location in the duodemum, and subsequently into the small bowel.
2. The Prior Art
Intubation of the long naso-intestinal tube has long been a problem faced by those skilled in the art.
Rubber or poly vinyl tubes of the type used by Miller and Abbott (Am. J. Sc., 1934, 187:595) and Cantor, (Am. J. Surg. 1947, 73:690) have long been used for this purpose. The success rate for placing these tubes in the proper location has been low and also difficult in regard to conventional methods.
More recent advances include blind approach fluoroscopic placement of naso-intestinal decompression tubes. An example is discussed by F. C. Shipps and C. B. Sayler (Radiology, 132:226-227, July, 1979). Still, the failure rate is high by most radiologists due to the difficulty of the process. A need exists for an improved method and apparatus to pass the long tube into the duodenum through the pylorus of the stomach of the seriously ill patient.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,564, issued to Kwak illustrates a nasal gastric tube insertion guide and method, however location determination is not satisfactorily shown.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,222 issued to Smiddy discloses an intubation for an endotracheal tube using a fiber optic bundle, however, placement of a tube for evacuation is not disclosed nor is location of the tube into the duodenum.
The need therefore still exists to intubate the long naso-intestinal tube through the pylorus of the stomach for intestinal obstructions via easy placement through direct view of flexible gastroduodenoscopic guidance.
This need and others are met by the present invention.